Strolling down Wooster Street in search of the Jellio Pop-Up Shop, I was suddenly captivated by a large, inviting sugar skull portrait made entirely of candy. A closer look revealed a unique piece of art whose myriad of colors and diverse candies came together to form something that was truly breathtaking. It was certainly enough to pique my interest and get me excited about the candy-inspired furniture inside.

A kind doorman welcomed me to the pop-up’s opening reception with a pack of Haribo Gold-Bears, and then I stepped into a vibrant, colorfully decorated room that would excite any Candy Addict®.

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I’m not a stranger to “healthy” candy, nor are my views on it anything but direct: there really isn’t such a thing. So if you’re looking for a candy that’s going to be something I recommend you add to your diet, you can stop reading now.

That said, I do believe there is a difference between candy and candy that is better for you. And with childhood obesity on the rise, more and more parents are looking for these sorts of confectionery avenues. Kids are always going to want to eat sweets, so you might as well buy them the ones that are not as hard on their bodies.

Recently, I have reviewed products from companies that share this vision for candy, namely from Surf Sweets and BrightSpot, so it’s not all that surprising to hear of more and more companies adopting this mantra. The latest comes from Yummy Earth, who proudly boast a tagline that their candy is “The best stuff on earth.” Hmm… Snapple anyone?

The idea for this company is steeped in genuine love of both candy and children; the founders are two fathers who teamed up develop a candy for their children that didn’t rely on all the additives, preservatives, etc. that are common in most American candy.

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Remember when Godzilla first stomps his way into Tokyo? Picking up buses, throwing them down, weaving through the buildings toward the center of town? Well, that’s what we have today: the giant monster of the gummy bear forest. Your average gummy bear would be stunned in wide wonder to behold this thing, then run far, far away. The Big Bite Gummy Bear is 12 oz (most entire bags with dozens of gummy bears don’t weigh that much), and stands a mammoth three inches high.

And doesn’t this huge gummy bear kinda look monstrous? Glowing orange from some molten undersea origin, perhaps? Well… time to bite its face off.

After removing a band of plastic wrap, you need to pry away the two halves of a form-fitting, hard plastic mold that encase the beast. (Oddly, the mold has a lanyard loop; you could actually wear this thing as a necklace, I guess. Wow, that would hurt.)

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I previously reviewed all of the products from Surf Sweets, the gummi candy company that produces an assortment of organic, “healthier” candies that are also vegetarian and vegan friendly. At least, I thought I had reviewed everything they produce.

At the All Candy Expo, I approached the Surf Sweets booth and began chatting with the people there. It wasn’t long before they spotted my expo badge, clearly stating who I was and the publication I worked for. Being a writer for Candy Addict is like being a character on Saved By The Bell… some people will recognize Dustin Diamond and be amazed, but there are also a lot of people who will ask you to repeat exactly what’s the big deal.

Thankfully, the Surf Sweets people viewed me as the former. They put two and two together and realized I was the Robby who had reviewed all their products. Though it can be awkward interacting with people when you’ve written a negative review, I actually really enjoyed their products, and so it was a friendly chat.

Somewhere in our conversation, the mention of a new product came up. “A new what?” I asked to confirm I heard correctly. Yes, apparently between the time I had reviewed them and the ACE, they had released Sour Berry Bears. Because I could no longer claim I had eaten and reviewed everything they manufactured, I felt it essential to get my hands on some, which in reality was fairly easy since they gave me a complementary bag.

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Let’s give a big Candy Addict welcome to Gigi, our first Europe-based writer!

As a Candy Addict, when vying for a sugar fix, gummi bears are fairly low on my list of “candy craving” sweets. On the other hand, if I was asked to buy candy for a large group of people, gummi bears are perfect and probably the safest option, catering to all sugar palates. Gummi bears are tasty, chewy, and a widely popular gummi treat. You know what you’re going to get before you pop one in your mouth.

Recently, while shopping at a market in Munich, Germany, I noticed an interesting spin on the forever palatable gummi bear” Haribo’s Saft Goldbaeren. Naturally, I gave them a whirl. Translated in English, Juice Goldbears are a unique, surprisingly tasty twist on the traditional gummi bear. Claiming 22% fruit juice, Haribo has not only mastered the gummi texture – these bears are soft! – they have made this treat potentially healthy… Seriously?

Haribo, a German candy company founded in 1920 by Hans Riegel Sr., is the largest manufacturer of gummi candy in the world, with its products largely consisting of gummi candies and licorice. 

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